In Entertainment Weekly's latest issue, director and writer Simon Kinberg revealed that the team's venture into outer space is the catalyst for Jean Grey's transformation into the Phoenix. When a solar flare hits the X-Jet during a rescue mission, Jean uses her power to save the team but "the extreme surge of energy unlocks the Phoenix." And that's when the chaos begins.

Entertainment Weekly

It's unclear if that's the extent of the space travel in Dark Phoenix, but there's plenty of it in the comics. In The Dark Phoenix Saga, Jean Grey, as Phoenix, exiles herself to outer space to protect the X-Men only to start a war with an entire alien race known as the Shi'ar Empire.

As for the film's timeline, in keeping with the trend of Days of Future Past and Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix will take place a decade after the events of X-Men: Apocalypse, specifically in 1992. So expect plenty of grungewear — and drama.

In the ten years since Apocalypse, the X-Men have become national heroes, and Charles Xavier, in particular, has emerged as an icon. (He even graces the cover of Time magazine in the film.) As a result, his "growing ego" starts to endanger the team. Actor James McAvoy describes it as the "most emotional X-Men we've done."

Though, be prepared: "There's a lot of sacrifice and a lot of suffering." And, according to EW, there a "massive twist" that will change the X-Men franchise forever.